This guide breaks down what trade websites really cost in the UK in 2026, what you get at each price, the ongoing costs that catch people out, and how to tell whether a quote is fair.
The short answer
| Option | Upfront cost | Ongoing cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy) | £0 | £15–£40/month | Brand-new businesses testing the water |
| Freelancer / template site | £400–£1,200 | £10–£40/month | A simple online business card |
| Trade-specialist web designer | £1,200–£2,500 | £20–£60/month | Most established sole traders and small teams |
| Local agency (custom build) | £2,500–£6,000+ | £50–£150/month | Larger firms with several services and areas |
| "Free" website on monthly rental | £0 | £50–£150/month, often with a 12–24 month contract | Rarely good value (see below) |
For most trades, a properly built site that brings in enquiries sits in the £1,200 to £2,500 range.
What actually changes the price
Number of pages
This matters more than anything else. A five-page site has a home page, about, one "services" page, gallery and contact. That works as a business card, but it won't bring you much from Google.
Customers search for specific jobs in specific places: "boiler repair Leatherhead", "gutter cleaning Epsom". Google ranks pages, not websites, so you need a page for each main service and, ideally, for the main towns you cover. A site with 15 to 20 well-written pages will almost always bring in more enquiries than one with five.
When you compare quotes, compare the number of pages, not just the price.
Who writes the words
Many cheap quotes assume you'll write all the text yourself. That's often where projects stall for months. Copywriting written for your trade, your customers and Google is worth paying for, and it's a big part of the price difference between quotes.
Built for Google, or just built
A site that looks good isn't automatically found. Check whether the quote includes:
- Google Business Profile setup or linking
- schema markup, code that tells Google your trade, services and areas
- a fast loading speed on mobile (ask for a target, such as a 90+ score on Google's PageSpeed test)
- call and form tracking, so you know which enquiries came from the site
A quote or booking form
A proper quote form that asks the right questions (job type, postcode, photos) saves you hours of back-and-forth. It's worth having.
A blog or editing system
If you want to add jobs, photos or new pages yourself, you need a simple editor. Some builds include one and some don't.
The running costs nobody mentions
The upfront price is only part of it. Budget for:
- Domain name: £10–£20 a year
- Hosting: £5–£30 a month
- Maintenance or "care": £30–£80 a month for updates, backups, security and small edits
- Business email: about £5 a month per person (Google Workspace or Microsoft 365)
Over three years, a £500 site on a £60-a-month plan costs more than a £1,500 site with £25-a-month hosting.
Watch out for "free" websites
Some companies offer a website for £0 upfront and then charge £75 to £150 a month on a long contract. Read the small print. Often:
- you don't own the site. Stop paying and it disappears.
- you don't own the domain. Your web address stays with them.
- the contract auto-renews and is hard to leave.
Over two years you can pay £2,000 to £3,500 and end up with nothing. If you're paying monthly, make sure you own the site and the domain at the end.
How to tell if a quote is fair
Ask every designer these questions:
- How many pages does it include, and what are they?
- Who writes the text?
- Do I own the website and the domain? (The answer should be yes.)
- What does it cost per month after launch, and what does that cover?
- Will it be set up for Google: Business Profile, schema, speed?
- How will I know if it's bringing in enquiries?
- Can you show me sites you've built for other trades, and are they ranking?
A good designer will answer all seven without hesitation.
So what should you budget?
- Just starting out, very tight budget: a DIY builder is fine for now. Focus on your Google Business Profile, which is free and brings most early enquiries.
- Established, want steady work from Google: budget £1,200 to £2,500 for a site with a page per service and area, plus £25 to £60 a month to run it.
- Several services, wide area, running ads: a bigger build with location pages and a blog pays for itself if one extra job a month comes from it.
A quick way to check it's worth it: if your average job is worth £400, a £1,500 website needs to bring in four jobs to pay for itself. Over a year, a decent site should do that many times over.
What we charge
We publish our prices because we think you should know them before you pick up the phone:
- Business Website, £1,295: up to 10 pages, with a quote form, Google Business Profile setup, schema and a 90+ speed score.
- Growth Website, £2,195: up to 20 pages, adding area pages, a blog you can edit, copywriting, and call and form tracking.
You own everything. You can spread the cost over 12 months, and hosting is free with any of our SEO plans. Full details are on our pricing page, and you can see how we approach web design for tradesmen.
Starting a brand-new business? Our Launch Package puts a Growth Website, a logo and Local SEO together, with the logo included free.
Not sure what you need? Get a free video audit and we'll look at your current site (or your Google listing if you don't have one) and tell you honestly what would make the biggest difference.